Off the Wire

What's Wrong With Akon's Shame and Blame?

As some of you may know, Verizon Wireless pulled their backing of rapper Akon following a concert he did in Trinidad. He simulated sex acts and gang raping the girl. It turns out the girl was a minor and a pasotr’s daughter.

He has recently put out a very catchy song called “Sorry, Put the Blame on Me.” In it he says:

As life goes on I’m starting to learn more and more about responsibility
And I realize that everything I do is affecting the people around me
So I want to take this time out to apologize for things that
I’ve done things that haven’t occurred yet
and things that they don’t want to take responsibility form

It sounds magnanimous to say that I will take blame for what others do not want to take responsibility for. ut as the song goes on, there is no reason for anyone to take blame other than Akon for the wrong that he did Read the verse that he uses to try and put blame on other people in a backdoor kind of way:

I’m sorry that it took so long to see
But they were dead wrong trying to put it on me
I’m sorry that it took so long to speak
But I was on tour with Gwen Stefani

I’m sorry for the hand that she was dealt
And for the embarrassment that she felt
She’s just a little young girl trying to have fun
But daddy should of never let her out that young

I’m sorry for Club Zen getting shut down
I hope they manage better next time around
How was I to know she was underage
In a 21 and older club they say

Why doesn’t anybody want to take blame
Verizon backed out disgracing my name
I’m just a singer trying to entertain
Because I love my fans I’ll take that blame

So is he saying that Club Zen, the pastor, and Verizon are to blame for his lewd behavior? Is he saying that if she was not underage, he would be justified to have pretended to rape her on stage? Let’s not forget to mention that the underage girl was told that she would win a trip to Africa for performing on stage in a dance contest. That’s bating a girl and using her as meat on stage for a good laugh.

What bothers me is not so much that she was underage – although there are issues with clubs and such. The main contention I have is that Akon has tried to slough off the fact that he treated a woman in ways that people are charged with felonies for. Sad to say that this is not the main issue, either. This is merely a symptom of a greater oproblem in our society. As we have given in to pluralism and “what’s right for you, is fine by me” keeps people from condemning the sickening nature of the acts committed on stage, and instead they have pleaded to an implicit vulgarity that we all know deep down inside is wrong. Perhaps the only middle ground our culture has with morality – exploiting juveniles.

The main issue is that because people have bought into the lie that relativity is the final law for life, we cannot say that a man pretending to rape a girl is wrong. We cannot say that proselytizing prostetution and drug abuse is wrong. The morality that was once implicit is now gone and we have to setttle for arguing that he should not have pretended to do such a thing.

Shall I go on to mention the fact that Akon has a wife/girlfriend and sons (so the song says previously). Do we not see an inconsistency in life. He is not merely an entertainer – as though that existed. Even jesters have spheres of influence who will imitate them. Even troubadours have families that they are responsible for not only raising, but rearing in the fear and instruction of God.

No the problem is not just that a minor was involved. It is the fact that a man wo committed such violations can turn around and say that a sponsor are wrong for calling him to give an account for his actions.